Award Winning Images

The Normandy beach of Ouistreham and surrounds were the settings for the D-Day landings of the 4th June 1944. These days, the beaches are far removed from the scenes experienced of this bloody day. On this particular cold, windswept day in March, the beach was deserted except for 2 braves girls rugged up against the elements. This winter scene is in stark contrast to the summer months where the owners of these beach huts flock to the coast in search of sunshine.

Paternoster Vents, also known as Angel's Wings, is an outdoor stainless steel sculpture by Thomas Heatherwick, The sculpture provides ventilation for an underground electrical substation. The substation required a cooling system with outlet and inlet vents, and the sculpture was designed and commissioned to aesthetically fit in with the area.

The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin contains 2,711 concrete slabs arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. Each column represents approximately 1,100 Jewish deaths in World War 2. Walking amongst the uneven slabs, one feels claustrophobic and disorientated. Strategically positioned between the seat of power in the Reichstag and Hitler's bunker, it's a moving memorial to the millions who suffered unspeakable atrocities.

The further North you travel within South Australia, the more arid and inhospitable the land becomes. Surveyed in the 1860s by then Surveyor-General of South Australia, George Goyder, the line separates land suitable for crops (averaging more than 10 inches of rain annually) from general grazing land. The Mid-North of South Australia has many deserted farmhouses like this, highlighting just how unyielding and precarious life on the land was, and still is living north of The Goyder Line.

Brighton & Hove seafront covers an impressive 11km stretch of coastline. There promenade has dozens of cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as playgrounds, bandstands and a pier with arcades and ferris wheel. There is also a wonderful wide bike and pedestrian lane. It's a beautiful, leisurely way to explore the beachfront.

Red Light Districts exist in most major cities in the world, however, Amsterdam's is probably the most famous. The Dutch pride themselves on their wholly liberal and tolerant attitude, and this follows with soft drugs and prostitution. Instead of criminalising these things the Dutch have chosen to regulate. Safety is paramount. In addition to preventing forced prostitution, the aim is an open and honest approach. Sex-workers here have their own union, police protection, frequent monitoring and testing and professional standards.

The Axe Historique, or Voie Triomphale, is a line of monuments, buildings and thoroughfares that extends from the centre of Paris to the west. It began with the creation of the Champs Élysées, between the Louvre and Arc De Triomphe. In the 1950s, the area around La Défense was marked out to become a new business district, and high-rise office buildings were built along the avenue. It was not until the 1980s, under president François Mitterrand, that a project was initiated to build a modern 20th century version of the Arc de Triomphe. Today this is known as L'Arche de la Défense. Looking back towards the Louvre, the Axe Historique is an impressive sight viewed atop the steps underneath this arch.

Bacon Street runs off of Brick Lane in the East End of London. Charlie Burns was born in 1915 and lived here his entire life until passing away in 2012. He and his family were paper merchants; a business which began with Charlie's grandfather John in 1864. The business involved collecting waste paper from city offices to sell to Limehouse Paper Mills for recycling. After serving in North Africa in WW2, he returned to the family business intent of doing something positive for the war ravaged East End of London. With his brother Harry, he ran a thriving boxing club for the children of Bethnal Green. This mural was painted by Ben Snow and adorns the wall of his family business on Bacon Street.

Situated on the Sussex south coast, Brighton is one of Britain's most popular coastal towns. The connection between London via railway was completed in 1841 and resulted in an influx of seaside day-trippers. As a consequence, the one time fishing village was transformed into a thriving holiday destination. Today Brighton is one of the UK's most colourful and cosmopolitan cities.

Approximately 85% of the Australian population live within 50km of the coast and the beach has long occupied a special place in the national identity. Metropolitan Adelaide has approximately 60km of uncrowded, golden sandy beaches. During the summer months people flock to the beach to cool down, meet friends and just generally relax.

In the last decade of the 19th Century, the iconic Eiffel Tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world. Viewed from Montmatre, the hillside arrondissement, it still dominates the Parisian skyline. From street level amongst the buildings, you regularly lose sight of it, until an occasional corner is turned and it towers impressively above you.

The town of Bardejov is located in north-eastern Slovakia, on a floodplain of the river Topľa near the Polish border. It is a small but exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a fortified medieval town. Due to its proximity to the major trade route that stretches across the Carpathian Mountains, from Hungary into Poland, Bardejov was able to develop into an important trading post. The town is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites and currently maintains a population of about 30,000 inhabitants.

Copper was first discovered in Burra in 1845. South Australia was officially only 9 years old and this discovery helped kickstart the colony's spluttering economy. By 1851 Burra's reported population of 5,000 made it the largest inland settlement and 7th largest town in Australia. Until 1860, the mine was the largest metal mine in Australia but by 1877 this lode had been exhausted. The railway line reached Burra 7 years before the copper rush had ended. With the copper gone, it was only a matter of time before the railway and majority of townspeople disappeared too.

Every Sunday from May to September, the ocean pool at the southern end of Bondi Beach is packed with members of the Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club. The club's constitution drawn up in 1929 dictates that new members do their time whatever the weather or temperature during the winter season. This initiation includes swimming in the outdoor pool three Sundays every winter month, and more than 75 times over a five-year period. Then, and only then, will swimmers be granted the club’s coveted full membership.

Alexanderplatz is located in the Mitte district of Berlin and is the city's largest and one it's most famous squares. It is named after the Russian Czar Alexander I, who visited the capital of Prussia in 1805. "Alex" as the locals know it, became a transport hub in 1882 when a train station was established. After it had been largely destroyed in World War II, Alexanderplatz took on its present form in the 1960’s.

Changi Airport is one the major hubs in South-East Asia. Arriving at the airport, however, you wouldn't immediately recognise it as one of the busiest airports in the world. There is an overriding feeling of space and light. For those wanting fresh air, there's a rooftop pool, a cactus garden/bar and water lily garden. The transit lounges are large, uncrowded and extremely comfortable. It's most likely some of the reasons why Changi is voted the world's best year upon year.